Let me explain why I am considering hiring people to help me make fountains.

Update December 31, 2007

As you can see from my Show Schedule, I have been busy since my return to Tampa. I have recreated the Wave and the Infinity fountains. I am scheduled for my first real art show in two weeks in Cape Coral. If I do well at the show I just may be able to hire people and give my back some relief.

On April 15, 2007 I was involved in an automobile accident. It was a pleasant Sunday evening. I was returning to my studio in Orange City from a two day show in Orlando at which I was displaying my fountains. The show, called Fiesta in the Park was held at beautiful Lake Eola. That morning a violent storm had almost closed the show, but along with a few other intrepid vendors and artists, I had stayed to the end. I was pretty exhausted, but very content in many ways. My shows are always rather exhilarating for me. I enjoy meeting the public and talking to them about my work. My two shows the previous month had been very productive. I accepted several commissions for custom fountains waiting to be built. My two new art pieces, "Infinity" and "The Wave" had been well received by the public. When I was about six blocks from my studio, I approached a dangerous intersection. A car ran a stop sign and T-boned me! The impact has been horrific in many ways. I am grateful that the accident wasn't worse. I am grateful that I am alive. My van was totaled as you can see.

Here is a photo of my booth at the show at Lake Eola in Orlando that I shot on Saturday, the day before the accident.

The two fountains that were my new art pieces, "Infinity" and "The Wave", were loaded in the van, right at the point of impact. They were destroyed by the impact, as these photos show.

These two fountains were very new. In a way, I was dreaming of pinning my future on these two new designs and more designs that are still in my mind and heart. Back in October of 2006 I visited an art show in Maitland, FL on beautiful Lake Lily. There I met the pencil artist extraordinaire, Jeff Eckert. I talked to him and several other artists that day, with a view to learning more about the business of art, so that I could perhaps begin to market my fountains to art lovers at traditional art venues like outdoor art shows. Long conversations with Jeff inspired me to create, in the following months, fountains like "Infinity" and "The Wave". These designs had been on my mind for several years, but it took encouragement from Jeff and others and a lot of courage on my part to take the months it required to create them away from my schedule of producing fountains to pay the bills. My web page about "The Wave" was already on line before my accident. The "Infinity" fountain photos that I had another artist Sooz White take just the week before the accident never made it on line. Here are some of those photos as well as a shot of "Infinity" at the Catfish Festival show in Crescent, the week before the accident.

I was so proud of these fountains. Note that "Infinity" had both an arch and a hole. You could trace the infinity symbol around those voids. The flow on this fountain most resembled the coquina rock formations I have long admired at Washington Oaks State Park here in Florida. It still brings me to tears when I walk by and see the broken pieces in my shop. The photos that Sooz White had taken for me, I was going to use to submit to art shows for possible acceptance in fall shows this year. Those hopes were temporarily dashed by my accident. I want to move on! In the months to come, I want to have a free spirit to recreate these two art pieces and get back on track with my business plan to enter art shows.

My back was injured in the accident. I am still experiencing pain and going to physical therapy. For the first few weeks after the accident I was concerned about my continued ability to do the work necessary to be a fountain artist. You can imagine my state of mind. How can I continue to build fountains if my back doesn't improve? Years ago, I had several friends work for me on a part-time basis, so I know that there are many parts of my work, especially the lifting, that other people could do to take the load off me and my back. Is there anyone out there who wants a job as a fountain helper? I am serious. Call me.

813-263-2989

Update December 31, 2007

As you can see from my Show Schedule, I have been busy since my return to Tampa. I have recreated the Wave and the Infinity fountains. I am scheduled for my first real art show in two weeks in Cape Coral. If I do well at the show I just may be able to hire people and give my back some relief.